In casinos it has been known to link electronic gaming machines, commonly and generically referred to as slot machines, to not only monitor the performance and operation of the machine but also to link the machines to a database to track the wagering history of players. Using this wagering history, the player can be rated. By rating what is meant is that the player's gaming activity, i.e. average wager, time spent wagering, overall amount wagered during a gaming session, is assessed to determine the level and nature of promotions available to the player to stimulate play and develop a relationship between the casino and the player and for marketing the casino to the players based, in part, on ratings. For example, players whose wagering history indicates that they play frequently at larger denomination, e.g. dollar, machines, will warrant special promotions, referred to in the industry as "comps", in order to foster goodwill as well as a degree of customer loyalty with the establishment.
These tracking systems typically operate by the casino issuing to the player to be tracked a player card which includes a machine readable, magnetic strip encoded with data identifying the player. A database is provided at the casino to include the player's name, address and card code and a read/write player file is established. When the player wishes to play a slot machine, they insert their card into a card reader at the machine. The reader interfaces with the a processor which, in turn, interfaces with the database to locate the player's file and place it in an open condition. Each time the player makes a wager at the gaming machine, "comp points" relating to the amount of the wager are accumulated. When the player removes their card from the reader, the slot machine processor or a local file server transfers and rewrites the accumulated points into the player's file. The player's account is updated or summed with the current amount of accumulated points and placed into a closed condition. Thus these player tracking systems track the level of play, i.e. amount wagered during the gaming session, and award comp points in relation thereto. Based upon the accumulated comp points the player receives promotions such as meals, discounts, etc. which promote goodwill and customer loyalty.
Player tracking systems according to the prior art are discussed and described in Acres et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,961 hereby incorporated by reference.
A drawback of these prior player tracking systems is that they are property specific. That is, if the player is issued a player card and has an account opened at one casino property, they cannot use that card at another casino property. The player must, therefore, enlist to have their play tracked at each property he/she wishes to game. Heretofore there has been no adequate system or method to track the play of a player at multiple properties, regardless of whether the properties are geographically remote or next door. There is a need for such a system, particularly in venues where several casino properties are commonly owned and geographically near. Any such system should accommodate the possibility that a player may game at a plurality of properties on the same day or even within a few minutes or hours and thus require substantially real time updating of their tracking file.
Heretofore unrelated to player tracking is the concept of progressive jackpots. Presently, it is known to provide several slot machines networked to a processor which accumulates a jackpot from a portion of each amount wagered at each machine. As people wager at the machines, the progressive jackpot grows until a player obtains a designated jackpot outcome whereupon the progressive jackpot amount is awarded to that player. Depending upon the number of machines and the amount wagered at the machines large progressive jackpots of several millions can be assembled. These progressive jackpots encourage play of the machines by the players.
A drawback with progressive jackpots is that players may feel that they are simply contributing to a jackpot which will be won by another. This is particularly true of tourist or other gamblers who may infrequently visit gaming venues and hence may believe that players who are able to visit the casino on a more frequent basis are more likely to win the progressive jackpot than they. There is a need for a system which can assemble a personal, progressive, player bonus which can only be won by the player who has contributed to their own bonus jackpot. Such a system would avoid the drawbacks of existing progressive jackpot systems and still provide the benefit of encouraging play. Such a system would be particularly well suited when married to a system which can track play at any one of a variety of gaming venues whereby the player, from any one of those venues, can contribute to their personal, progressive, player bonus.